Valued with a market capitalization of $24.1 billion, International Paper Company (IP) is a global producer of packaging and pulp products based on renewable fibers. Operating through its Industrial Packaging and Global Cellulose Fibers segments, the company serves customers in North America, Latin America, Europe and North Africa.
The Memphis, Tennessee-based company is expected to release its fiscal third-quarter 2025 results before the market opens on Thursday, October 30. Ahead of this event, analysts project that International Paper will report adjusted EPS of $0.53, up 20.5% from $0.44 in the prior-year quarter. It has surpassed Wall Street’s final estimates in two of the last four quarterly reports, while missing them on two other occasions.
For fiscal 2025, analysts forecast that the global paper and packaging company will report adjusted EPS of $1.53, up 35.4% from $1.13 in fiscal 2024. Additionally, adjusted EPS is expected to increase 101.3% year-over-year to $3.08 in fiscal 2026.
International Paper shares have fallen 5.2% over the past 52 weeks, lagging the broader S&P 500 index ($SPX)’s 12.2% gain. However, the drop is less severe than the Materials Select Sector SPDR Fund’s (XLB) 9.1% drop over the same time period.
International Paper shares fell 12.9% on July 31 after the company reported disappointing second-quarter 2025 results, with adjusted EPS of $0.20, well below analyst expectations. The shortfall was due to rising input costs for corrugated and fiberboard packaging products, along with weak demand in Europe.
The analyst consensus view on IP stock is cautiously optimistic, with an overall rating of “Moderate Buy.” Among the 13 analysts covering the stock, six suggest a ‘strong buy’, one gives a ‘moderate buy’, four recommend a ‘hold’ and two ‘strong sell’. The average analyst price target for International Paper is $54.11, indicating a potential upside of 17.4% from current levels.
As of the date of publication, Sohini Mondal had no (directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article are for informational purposes only. This article was originally published on Barchart.com